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National Pension System THE REGULATOR Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority THE NPS TRUST THE CENTRAL RECORDKEEPING AGENCY (CRA) National S...
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National Pension System THE REGULATOR Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority THE NPS TRUST THE CENTRAL RECORDKEEPING AGENCY (CRA) National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) THE CUSTODIAN Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited THE TRUSTEE BANK Bank of India THE PENSION FUNDS (in alphabetical order) yy ICICI Prudential Pension Funds Management Company Limited yy IDFC Pension Fund Management Company Limited yy Kotak Mahindra Pension Fund Limited yy Reliance Capital Pension Fund Limited yy SBI Pension Funds Private Limited yy UTI Retirement Solutions Limited POINTS OF PRESENCE (in alphabetical order) yy Abhipra Capital Limited

yy Reliance Capital Limited

yy Alankit Assignments Ltd

yy State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur

yy Allahabad Bank

yy State Bank of Hyderabad

yy Axis Bank Ltd.

yy State Bank of India

yy Bajaj Capital Ltd.

yy State Bank of Mysore

yy Central Bank of India

yy State Bank of Patiala

yy Citibank N.A

yy State Bank of Travancore

yy Computer Age Management Services Pvt. Ltd.

yy Steel City Securities Ltd

yy ICICI Bank Limited

yy Stock Holding Corporation Of India Ltd

yy ICICI Securities Ltd

yy Syndicate Bank

yy IDBI Bank Limited

yy The South Indian Bank Ltd.

yy IL &FS Securities Services Ltd

yy Union Bank of India

yy India Post NPS Nodal Office

yy UTI Asset Management Company Limited

yy Integrated Securities Ltd

yy UTI Technology Services Ltd.

yy Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited yy Marwadi Shares and Finance Limited yy Muthoot Finance Limited

yy Yes Bank Ltd yy Zen Securities Limited

yy Oriental Bank of Commerce APPLICANT SHOULD NOTE THAT: yy This Offer Document sets forth concisely the information about NPS that an applicant ought to know. Applicant should carefully read the Offer Document. yy This Offer Document remains effective until a material change occurs. Material changes will be notified by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) to all subscribers. yy PFRDA has been established to promote old age income security by establishing, developing and regulating pension funds, to protect the interests of subscribers to schemes of pension funds and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. yy NPS, regulated by PFRDA, is a defined contribution pension system which is now being offered on voluntary basis to all citizens of India other than Government employees covered by NPS.

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Table of Contents Abbreviations and Definitions

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Abbreviations

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Definitions

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NPS Features

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Who can join?

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Who cannot join?

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How to enroll in the NPS?

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How much does a subscriber need to contribute?

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What are the benefits of joining the NPS?

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When can a subscriber withdraw the amount?

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Tax Benefits

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What investment choice does the subscriber have?

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Charges

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Other Matters

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Power to make guidelines and give directions

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Investment Guidelines

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NPS Architecture

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PFRDA

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NPS Intermediaries

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NPS Trust

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Functions of NPS Trust

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Services provided by CRA to Subscribers

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Functions of Trustee Bank

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Functions of POPs

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Services to Subscribers

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Terms & Conditions

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Risks

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Explanatory note on specific risks in debt markets and capital markets Risks associated with Debt / Money Markets (i.e. Markets in which Interest bearing Securities or Discounted Instruments are traded) Risks associated with Capital Markets or Equity Markets (i.e. Markets in which Equity Shares or Equity oriented instruments are issued and traded)

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NPS Tier -II Account

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Table summarizing the main features of Tier-II account

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Swavalamban Scheme: Operational Guidelines

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14 15

Abbreviations and Definitions In this Offer Document, the following words and expressions shall have the meaning specified below, unless the context otherwise requires:

Abbreviations ASP CGMS CRA DC GRC GRM IMA IPO KYC NPS NRA PFs/PFMs PFRDA POP POP-SP PRA PRAN TB FEMA

Annuity Service Provider Centralised Grievance Management System Central Recordkeeping Agency Defined Contribution Grievance Redressal Cell Grievance Redressal Mechanism Investment Management Agreement Initial Public Offer Know Your Customer National Pension System Normal Retirement Age Pension Funds/Pension Fund Managers Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Point of Presence Point of Presence – Service Provider (Authorized branches of POP for NPS) Permanent Retirement Account Permanent Retirement Account Number Trustee Bank Foreign Exchange Management Act

Definitions Applicable NAV Applicant Custodian IMA Offer Document RBI Subscriber Unit holder Trust Deed Trust Fund Working Day

Unless stated otherwise in the Offer Document, ‘Applicable NAV’ is the Net Asset Value at the close of a Working Day. An individual who has expressed interest in joining NPS and has duly completed all formalities. Agency responsible for holding assets of the NPS Trust. Refers to the Stockholding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL) Investment Management Agreement, entered into between NPS Trust and the Pension Funds . This document, issued by PFRDA, making an offer to potential applicants to subscribe to NPS. Reserve Bank of India, established under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. An individual who has become a member of the NPS Subscriber is also referred to as unit holder with respect to the units he/she owns. The Trust Deed entered into between the NPS Trust and PFRDA, as amended up to date, or as may be amended from time to time. The corpus of the Trust and all property belonging to and/or vested in the Trustees. A day other than any of the following (i) Saturday or Sunday (ii) a day on which banks including the Reserve Bank of India are closed for business or clearing and (iii) a day on which the Purchase and Redemption of Units is suspended.

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NPS Features Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has been established by the Government of India, Ministry of Finance vide Notification F.No.5/7/2003-ECB & PR dated 10th October, 2003 to promote old age income security. The Government authorized PFRDA vide Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services letter No. 11(11)/2008-PR dated 29th July 2008 to extend NPS on a voluntary basis to all citizens of India including workers of the unorganized sector. NPS is now available to all citizens of India with effect from May 1, 2009, other than Government employees already covered under NPS. Under NPS following two types of accounts will be available to you: yy Tier-I account: You shall contribute your savings for retirement into this non-withdrawable account. yy Tier-II account: This is a voluntary savings facility. You will be free to withdraw your savings from this account whenever you wish. While Tier-I account is available from May 1, 2009, the facility of Tier II account is offered from December 1, 2009 to all citizens of India including Government employees mandatorily covered by NPS. The details mentioned in this offer document pertain to both Tier-I & Tier II accounts. yy For details of Tier-II please see page - 15

Who can join? A citizen of India, whether resident or non-resident, subject to the following conditions: yy You should be between 18 – 60 years of age as on the date of submission of his/her application to the POP/ POP-SP. yy You should comply with the Know Your Customer (KYC) norms as detailed in the Subscriber Registration Form. The Subscriber Registration form attached with this Offer Document should be duly filled-in by the applicant and all terms and conditions mentioned therein should be duly complied with. All the documents required for KYC compliance need to be mandatorily submitted.

Who cannot join? The following applicants cannot join: yy Undischarged insolvent: Individuals who are not granted an ‘order of discharge’ by a court. yy Individuals of unsound mind: An individual is said to be of unsound mind for the purposes of making a contract if, at the time when he makes it, he is incapable of understanding it and of forming a rational judgment regarding its effect upon his/ her self-interest. yy Pre-existing account holders under NPS.

How to enroll in the NPS? To enroll in the NPS, you need to submit the attached Composite Registration Form (UOS-S1) to the POPSP of your choice. The list of POP – SPs is available on the PFRDA website www.pfrda.org.in, on the CRA website www.npscra.nsdl.co.in and on the website of the concerned POP. You may also contact the POPs listed at page11 of this offer document. NRIs should have an account with a bank based in India to open an account under NPS. The contributions made by the NRI would be subject to regulatory requirements as prescribed by RBI from time to time and FEMA requirements. After the account is opened, CRA shall mail a “Welcome Kit” to you containing the subscriber’s unique Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) Card and the complete information provided by the subscriber in the Subscriber Registration form. This account number will be the primary means of identifying and operating the account. You will also receive a Telephone Password (TPIN) which can be used to access your account on the call centre number (1-800-222080). You will also be provided an Internet Password (IPIN) for accessing your account on the CRA Website (www.npscra.nsdl.co.in) on a 24X7 basis.

How much does a subscriber need to contribute? For Tier-I You are required to make your first contribution at the time of applying for registration at any POP - SP. You are required to make contributions subject to the following conditions: yy Minimum amount per contribution - Rs 500 yy Minimum contribution per year - Rs 6,000 yy Minimum number of contributions -01 per year

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Over and above the mandated limit of a minimum of 1 contribution, you may decide on the frequency of the contributions across the year as per your convenience. For details of contribution to Tier –II refer to page 15. yy The subscriber can contribute the amount through cash, local cheque, demand draft or Electronic Clearing System (ECS) at his/her chosen POP-SP. yy No outstation cheques shall be accepted.

There will be a time lag between the time you deposit Cash/ Demand draft/cheque/ Electronic Clearing System (ECS) with the POP-SP and the time of credit of units to the PRA, which may range upto 15 working days at the time of initial registration and upto 7 working days for subsequent contributions. PFRDA will impose penalties on intermediaries in case of delay beyond this period.

What are the benefits of joining the NPS? yy It is voluntary- NPS is open to every Indian citizen. You can choose the amount you want to set aside and save every year. yy It is simple- all you have to do is to open an account with any one of the POPs and get a PRAN. yy It is flexible- You can choose your own investment option and Pension Fund Manager and see your money grow. yy It is portable- You can operate your account from anywhere in the country, even if you change your city, job or your pension fund manager. yy It is regulated- NPS is regulated by PFRDA, with transparent investment norms and regular monitoring and performance review of fund managers by NPS Trust. yy On attaining the Normal Retirement Age (NRA) of 60 years – You will be required to compulsorily annuitize at least 40% of your pension wealth and the remaining 60% can be withdrawn as a lump sum or in a phased manner; in case, you opt for a phased withdrawal: yy  Minimum 10% of the pension wealth should be withdrawn every year. yy  Any amount lying to the credit at the age 70 should be compulsorily withdrawn in lump sum. yy Withdraw any time before 60 years of age– In such case, you will have to compulsorily annuitize 80% of your accumulated pension wealth. The remaining 20% can be withdrawn as a lump sum.

When can a subscriber withdraw the amount? Vesting Criteria

Benefit

At any point in time before 60 years You would be required to invest at least 80% of the pension of age wealth to purchase a life annuity from any IRDA – regulated life insurance company. Rest 20% of the pension wealth may be withdrawn as lump sum. On attaining the Age of 60 years and At exit you would be required to invest minimum 40 percent upto 70 years of age of your accumulated savings (pension wealth) to purchase a life annuity from any IRDA-regulated life insurance company. You may choose to purchase an annuity for an amount greater than 40 percent. The remaining pension wealth can either be withdrawn in a lump sum on attaining the age of 60 or in a phased manner, between age 60 and 70, at the option of the subscriber. Death due to any cause

In such an unfortunate event, option will be available to the nominee to receive 100% of the NPS pension wealth in lump sum. However, if the nominee wishes to continue with the NPS, he/she shall have to subscribe to NPS individually after following due KYC procedure.

Tax Benefits Tax benefits would be applicable as per the Income Tax Act, 1961 as amended from time to time.

What investment choice does the subscriber have? The NPS offers you two approaches to invest your money: yy Active choice - Individual Funds (Asset Class E, Asset Class C, and Asset Class G ) yy Auto choice - Lifecycle Fund

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Active choice - Individual Funds You will have the option to actively decide as to how your NPS pension wealth is to be invested in the following three options: Asset Class E - investments in predominantly equity market instruments. Asset Class C- investments in fixed income instruments other than Government securities. Asset Class G - investments in Government securities. Detailed investment guidelines are provided in the offer document under section “other matters” You can choose to invest your entire pension wealth in C or G asset classes and upto a maximum of 50% in equity (Asset class E). You can also distribute your pension wealth across E, C and G asset classes, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by PFRDA. In case you decide to actively exercise your choice about investment options, you shall be required to indicate your choice of Pension Fund Manager (PFM) from among the six Pension Fund Managers (PFMs) appointed by PFRDA. In case you do not indicate any choice of PFMs, your form shall not be accepted by the POP-SP. While exercising an Active Choice, remember that your investment allocation is one of the most important factors affecting the growth of your pension wealth. If you prefer this “hands-on” approach, keep the following points in mind: yy Consider both risk and return. The E Asset class has higher potential returns than the G asset class, but it also carries the risk of investment losses. Investing entirely in the G asset class may not give you high returns but is a safer option. yy You can reduce your overall risk by diversifying your investment. The three individual asset classes offer a broad range of investment options, it is good not to put “all your eggs in one basket.” yy The amount of risk you can sustain depends upon your investment time horizon. The more time you have before you need to withdraw from your account, the more is the risk you can take. (This is because early losses can be offset by later gains.) yy Periodically review your investment choices. Check the distribution of your account balance among the funds to make sure that the mix you chose is still appropriate for your situation. If not, rebalance your account to get the allocation you want.

Auto choice - Lifecycle Fund NPS offers an easy option for those participants who do not have the required knowledge to manage their NPS investments. In case you are unable/unwilling to exercise any choice as regards asset allocation, your funds will be invested in accordance with the Auto Choice option. You will, however, be required to indicate your choice of PFM. In case you do not do so, your form shall not be accepted by the POP-SP. In this option, the investments will be made in a life-cycle fund. Here, the fraction of funds invested across three asset classes will be determined by a pre-defined portfolio. At the lowest age of entry (18 years), the auto choice will entail investment of 50% of pension wealth in “E” Class, 30% in “C” Class and 20% in “G” Class. These ratios of investment will remain fixed for all contributions until the participant reaches the age of 36. From age 36 onwards, the weight in “E” and “C” asset class will decrease annually and the weight in “G” class will increase annually till it reaches 10% in “E”, 10% in “C” and 80% in “G” class at age. Like the active choice, you must choose one PFM under the auto choice. Table for Lifecycle Fund* Age Up to 35 years 36 years 37 years 38 years 39 years 40 years 41 years 42 years 43 years 44 years 45 years 46 years 47 years 48 years

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Asset Class E 50% 48% 46% 44% 42% 40% 38% 36% 34% 32% 30% 28% 26% 24%

Asset Class C 30% 29% 28% 27% 26% 25% 24% 23% 22% 21% 20% 19% 18% 17%

Asset Class G 20% 23% 26% 29% 32% 35% 38% 41% 44% 47% 50% 53% 56% 59%

Age 49 years 50 years 51 years 52 years 53 years 54 years 55 years

Asset Class E 22% 20% 18% 16% 14% 12% 10%

Asset Class C 16% 15% 14% 13% 12% 11% 10%

Asset Class G 62% 65% 68% 71% 74% 77% 80%

*In case of Auto Choice, reallocation among the asset classes shall take place on the date of birth of the subscriber. Net Asset Value (NAV) will be released on a regular basis so that you may be able to take informed decisions. The system for scheme preference change has been made available with effect from 1st June, 2010. The window for scheme change preference shall remain open throughout the year. The subscriber shall be allowed to excercise the choice only once, at any time during the financial year. Neither the Active Choice nor the Auto Choice provide assured returns.

Charges NPS offers Indian citizens a low cost option for planning their retirement. A 0.0009%* fee (based on assets under management) for managing your wealth, makes pension funds under NPS perhaps the world’s lowest cost money managers. Following are the charges under NPS: Intermediary CRA

Charge head PRA Opening charges Annual PRA Maintenance cost per account

POP

Through cancellation of units

Rs. 280

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Initial subscriber registration and contribution upload

Rs. 40

Per transaction emanating from a RBI location

Asset Servicing charges

(On asset value in custody) PFM charges

Rs. 50

Rs. 61

Per transaction emanating from a nonRBI location4 Custodian5

Method of Deduction

Charge per transaction (Maximum Permissible Charge for each Any subsequent subscriber) transactions2 Trustee Bank

Service charges*

Investment Management Fee3

To be collected upfront

Rs. 20 zero

Through NAV deduction

Rs. 15 0.0075% p.a for Electronic segment & 0.05% p.a. for Physical segment

Through NAV deduction

0.0009% p.a.

Through NAV deduction

*Service tax and other levies, as applicable, will be levied as per the existing tax laws. There are no additional CRA charges for the maintenance of Tier –II account. For a detailed comparison of Tier-I & Tier –II, refer to Page16. 1 The number of accounts in CRA reaches 30 lakh the service charges, exclusive of Service Tax and other taxes as applicable, will be reduced further to Rs 250 (Rupees two hundred and fifty only) for annual PRA maintenance per account and Rs. 4 (Rupees four only) for charges per transaction. CRA’s charge for maintenance of your permanent retirement would include charges for maintenance of electronic information of the balances in your PRA, for incorporating changes to PRA details received by the CRA in electronic form, for sending annual account information once a year in printed form etc. 2 These include 1. Regular subscriber’s contribution. 2. Change in subscriber details. 3. Change of investment scheme/fund manager 4. Processing of withdrawal request 5. Processing of request for subscriber shifting

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6. 7.

Issuance of printed Account statement, Any other subscriber services as may be prescribed by PFRDA

3 The Investment Management Fee is inclusive of all transaction related charges such as brokerage, transaction cost etc. except custodian charges and applicable taxes. The Investment Management Fee is calculated on the average monthly assets managed by the pension fund. 4 Trustee Bank charges are not charged to subscriber directly. Transaction refers to the entire chain of activities starting from receipt of electronic instructions/ receipt of physical instrument to transfer of funds to the designated PFMs. On the outflow side, it would include all activities leading to credit of beneficiary account. 5 Charges for Demat/Remat, Receipt of shares & SEBI charges are extra.

Other Matters Power to make guidelines and give directions PFRDA may, from time to time, issue such directions and Guidelines to NPS intermediaries as may be necessary for protecting the interests of the subscribers.

Investment Guidelines The PF will manage 3 separate schemes, each investing in a different asset class, being:

Asset class E (equity market instruments) – The investment in this asset class would be subject to a cap of 50%. This asset class will be invested in index funds that replicate the portfolio of either BSE Sensitive index or NSE Nifty 50 index. These schemes invest in securities in the same weightage comprising an index. Asset class G (Government Securities) – This asset class will be invested in Central Government bonds and State Government bonds. Asset class C (credit risk bearing fixed income instruments) – This asset class will be invested in the following instruments: (i) Liquid Funds of AMCs regulated by SEBI with the following filters:

yy AMCs are SEBI regulated, with Average total assets under management (AUM) for the most recent six-month period of, at least, Rs.5000 crores. yy All assets that are permitted for investment into liquid funds by SEBI. (ii) Fixed Deposits of scheduled commercial banks with following filters:

yy N et worth of at least Rs.500 crores and a track record of profitability in the last three years. yy Capital adequacy ratio of not less than 9% in the last three years. Net NPA of under 5% as a percentage of net advances in the last year. (iii) Debt securities with maturity of not less than three years tenure issued by Bodies Corporate including scheduled commercial banks and public financial institutions [as defined in Section 4 (A) of the Companies Act].

Provided that at least 75% of the investment in this category is made in instruments having an investment grade rating from at least one credit rating agency.

(iv) Credit Rated Public Financial Institutions/PSU Bonds (v) Credit Rated Municipal Bonds/Infrastructure Bonds

NPS ARCHITECTURE PFRDA PFRDA is the prudential Regulator for the NPS. PFRDA was established by the Government of India, Ministry of Finance, vide Notification F.No.5/7/2003-ECB & PR dated 10th October, 2003 to promote old age income security. PFRDA has been authorized by the Central Government vide Notification F.No.1 (6)2007PR dated 14th November 2008 to appoint/establish various intermediaries in the system such as Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA), Pension Funds (PFs), Points of Presence, Trustee Bank, NPS Trust, Custodian, etc. for operationalizing the NPS roll out to unorganized sector subscribers. The present constitution of the PFRDA Board is as under : 1. SH. YOGESH AGARWAL CHAIRMAN PH- (D)-91-11-26897937

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2. SMT. MADHULIKA P. SUKUL PART-TIME MEMBER PH-(D)-91-11-23093283 3. SH. TARUN BAJAJ PART-TIME MEMBER PH-(D)-91-11-23747507 OFFICIALS OF THE AUTHORITY: 1. SMT. RANI S. NAIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PH-(D)-91-11-26130189 2. SH. P.K. TIWARI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PH-91-11-26897939 3. SH. KAMAL KR. CHAUDHRY CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER PH-(D)-91-11-26897942 4. SH. PUSKAL UPADHYAY GENERAL MANAGER PH-(D)-91-11-26130568 5. SMT. DEEPA KOTNIS GENERAL MANAGER PH-(D)-91-11-26897934

NPS Intermediaries NPS Trust PFRDA has established the NPS Trust under Indian Trust Act, 1882 and appointed NPS Board of Trustees in whom the administration of the “National Pension System” vests under Indian Law. The Trust is responsible for taking care of the funds under the NPS. The Trust holds an account with the Bank of India and this bank is designated as the NPS Trustee Bank.

Trustees Names and Addresses MR. YOGENDRA NARAIN (Formerly Secretary General Rajya Sabha) CHAIRMAN TRUSTEE H. No.7, Shivalik Houses, Sector- 61, Near Sai Baba Mandir, Noida - 201 301 MR. N. R. RAYALU (Former Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General of India) TRUSTEE C-7/1, M.S. Flats, Sector - 13, R. K. Puram, New Delhi - 110 066 MR. G.N. BAJPAI (Former Chairman, SEBI) TRUSTEE 131, Shaan Apartments, K.D. Marg, Opp. Kirti College, Prabha Devi, Mumbai- 400 028. MR. NARESH DAYAL (Former Secretary to Government of India) TRUSTEE C-II/83, Moti Bagh-I, New Delhi MR. UMRAOMAL PUROHIT TRUSTEE C-37,Ground Floor, South Extension II New Delhi -110049

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Functions of NPS Trust yy To call for any information, report etc. from PFM(s), Trustee Bank and Custodian. yy To issue directions to PFM(s) for protecting the interest of subscribers. yy To appoint a panel of independent auditors to undertake compliance audit. yy To verify that Trustee Bank is performing its functions as per the provisions of the Agreement with NPS Trust. yy To verify that PFM(s) are strictly following the terms and condition of Investment Management Agreement (IMA) with NPS Trust.

Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA): National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) has been appointed as the CRA. The recordkeeping, administration and customer service functions for all subscribers of the NPS shall be centralized and performed by the CRA. The CRA shall also provide periodic, consolidated PRAN statements to each subscriber.

Services provided by CRA to Subscribers The following services would be provided by CRA to the subscribers: > Sending Annual Account statements: Providing subscribers with periodic PRAN account statements detailing the total contribution, time-wise credits into the account and other relevant information. > Grievance Redressal report: Subscriber can register grievances through the web interface. Alternatively, subscriber can send grievances through other channels also. CRA registers all complaints in electronic form and sends the status of Grievance/Redressal to Subscriber. > Investment Scheme and Switching: Acting on/transmitting instructions of subscribers in respect of :-

yy Investment option selection; yy Switching over options; yy Confirmation report. > Retirement Account Information to be provided to subscribers:

yy Pension wealth accumulated in their PRA. yy Amount that can be withdrawn by subscriber in lump sum. > Web enabled services: CRA provides subscribers with a web based interface to view detailed history of transactions of PRA. In due course subscriber shall be able to give switching instructions through this interface.

NPS Trustee Bank: Bank of India is functioning as NPS Trustee Bank. It would manage the banking of the Pension Funds in accordance with applicable provisions of the NPS, the schemes the guidelines/notifications, issued by PFRDA, Ministry of Finance, and Government of India from time to time as per applicable law.

Functions of Trustee Bank 1. The Bank would interface with Pension Fund Managers for

yy Transfer of funds to the PFM’s bank account based on the instructions received from CRA and information flow for same. yy Receipt of funds from the PFM’s bank account to the NPS Trust Bank’s account based on the instructions received from CRA and information flow for same. yy Report on discrepancies, if any, to/from the PFM regarding fund transfer/receipt of funds based on information flow received from PFM/CRA and actual fund transfer. 2. The Bank would interface with the CRA for

yy U pload of details of contribution received from Pay and Accounts office in specified file format to CRA. yy Transfer of funds based on the instructions received from CRA during the settlement process to various entities. yy Confirmation report by CRA to the bank and the discrepancy report by CRA to the Bank . yy Electronic Fund Transfer/ Preparation of cheques for disbursement from withdrawal account and forwarding it to CRA. yy Upload of statement of closing balance of the NPS Trust account with the Bank to the CRA system. yy Daily reconciliation between balances in various CRA related accounts of the Bank with the details available in CRA system. yy Downloading of incremental PAO Master file and Transaction id list file. yy Transfer of funds based on the instructions of CRA to the Bank to Annuity Service Provider and or to the withdrawal account. 3. The Bank would interface and provide such reports as may be required by Trustees, Custodian and other entities of the NPS architecture as may be prescribed by PFRDA from time to time.

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Pension Funds (PFs)/Pension Fund Managers (PFMs): Appointed PFs would manage the retirement savings of subscribers under the NPS. The PFs are required to invest strictly in accordance with guidelines issued by the Government/PFRDA. The NPS allows you to choose from any one of the following six entities ( in alphabetical order) to manage your pension fund:yy ICICI Prudential Pension Funds Management Company Limited yy IDFC Pension Fund Management Company Limited yy Kotak Mahindra Pension Fund Limited yy Reliance Capital Pension Fund Limited yy SBI Pension Funds Private Limited yy UTI Retirement Solutions Limited

Points of Presence (POPs): Points of Presence (POPs) act as the customer interface for non-Government subscribers/individual citizens who wish to open Permanent Retirement Account (PRA) with Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) for the purpose of subscribing to the NPS. You may choose any one of the following service providers (in alphabetical order) appointed as Points of Presence (POPs) by PFRDA:1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Abhipra Capital Ltd. Alankit Assignment Ltd. Allahabad Bank Axis Bank Ltd. Bajaj Capital Ltd. Central Bank of India Citibank N.A Computer Age Management Services Pvt. Ltd. ICICI Bank Limited ICICI Securities IDBI Bank Limited IL & FS Securities Services Ltd., India Post Integrated Securities Ltd. Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited

16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34.

Marwadi shares & Finance Ltd. Muthoot Group Oriental Bank of Commerce Reliance Capital Limited State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur State Bank of Hyderabad State Bank of India State Bank of Mysore State Bank of Patiala State Bank of Travancore Steel City Securities Ltd. Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd. Syndicate Bank The South Indian Bank Ltd. Union Bank of India UTI Asset Management Company Limited UTI Technologies Yes Bank Zen Securities Ltd.

(Toll free number/contact number) 1800-3001-7777 011-42541234/42541771/1773 033-22104754 1860-425-8888* 1800-3000-6000/1800-3000-9000 022-22153691 1800-180-0123 044-30611606/07/08 022-28308110 _ #1800-22-1070/^180-200-1947 022-42493000 _ 044-28140815 1800-116-022 from North India/ 1800-226-022 from rest of India +912266006022 from abroad 0281-2332001/7 _ 1800-180-1235/0124-2340940 022-30462300 1800-180-6005 040-23387471 022-22740832/22742821 1800-425-2244 1800-180-2010/0172-2648011 1800-425-5566 _ 011-26425335/6/7 _ 1800-843-1800/0484-2351923 1800-022-2244 022-66786410/1800-221-230 022-67931087 _ _

Each of these above mentioned 34 entities would have authorized branches (POP-SPs) for accepting your application and contributions. The POP-SPs shall also be responsible for providing a wide range of services to NPS subscribers, as prescribed by PFRDA from time to time. The complete list of POP-SPs is available at PFRDA website(www.pfrda.org.in), the CRA website (www.npscra.nsdl.co.in) and the website of the concerned POP.

Functions of POP 1. To receive the duly filled application form along with the KYC documentation as may be applicable from time to time. 2. To verify KYC documents as may be required from time to time.

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3. To collect and verify contributions that may be received through cash/cheque/Demand Draft/ Electronic Clearing System (ECS). 4. To collect/deduct NPS application processing fees and issue of receipt to the Subscriber against the same. 5. To submit complete and accepted forms on a daily basis, to CRA/CRA Facilitation Centre (FC). 6. To upload the subscriber contribution files into CRA system and simultaneously arrange to transfer the funds into the account of the NPS trust maintained with the Trustee Bank. 7. To maintain and report records of all transactions in accordance with the provisions of PML Act, 2002 and Rules framed thereunder, as may be applicable, from time to time. * Accessible from BSNL/MTNL numbers only. Local call charges will be applicable # For MTNL/BSNL subscribers ^ other than MTNL/BSNL 8. Regular subscriber contribution upload yy Verify PRAN card details on the deposit slip, the format for which shall be prescribed by PFRDA. yy Collection and verification of contributions that may be received through cash/cheque/Demand Draft/ Electronic Clearing System (ECS). yy Collection/deduction of contribution processing fee and issue of receipt to the subscriber against the same. yy Uploading subscriber contribution details online into the CRA system, in respect of subscribers for whom clear funds are available, on a daily basis. yy Remit clear funds into the account of the NPS trust maintained with the Trustee Bank on at least T+1 basis. yy Maintain hard copies of deposit slips. 9. Subscriber servicing yy Carry out changes in subscriber details on request by subscriber subject to the conditions stipulated by PFRDA. yy Receiving switch request for change in PFM and/or investment option from subscriber and transmitting the same to CRA. yy Receiving withdrawal requests from subscriber and transmitting the same to CRA. For this purpose, subscriber would put in a withdrawal request to PoP-SP. The subscriber’s pension wealth would be credited directly to his bank account by trustee bank, on receiving instructions from CRA, through RTGS/ NEFT or by way of a pay order where his/her personal bank details are not available. yy Attending to subscriber’s request for shift to another PoP-SP. yy Any other NPS account related service as may be prescribed by PFRDA from time to time. 10. Grievance handling yy Receiving of grievances submitted by the subscriber against PoP / PoP-SP or any other NPS Intermediary in the format prescribed by PFRDA and uploading of all grievances in the Central Grievance Management System (CGMS) of CRA on a daily basis. The CGMS system of CRA would route the grievances to respective NPS intermediaries. yy Receiving grievances raised by the subscriber against PoP/PoP-SP through the CRA call centre/CGMS of CRA by accessing the CGMS.

Annuity Service Providers (ASPs): ASPs would be responsible for delivering a regular monthly pension to the subscriber for the rest of his/her life.

SERVICES TO SUBSCRIBERS 1. Subscriber Services It is the endeavour of PFRDA / NPS Trust to provide consistently high quality service to NPS subscribers. PFRDA / NPS Trust strive to upgrade the quality of services through implementation of technology and through ensuring quality consciousness amongst all service personnel and associated NPS intermediaries. 2. Subscriber Grievances Redressal Mechanism NPS has a multi-layered Grievance Redressal Mechanism which is easily accessible, simple, quick, fair, responsive and effective. You have the option of registering grievance/complaint through the following alternatives:  Call Centre/Interactive Voice Response System (IVR) You can contact the CRA call centre at toll free telephone number 1-800-222080 and register the grievance. You will have to authenticate yourself through the use of T-pin allotted to you at the time of opening a

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Permanent Retirement Account under the NPS. On successful registration of your grievance, a token number will be allotted by the Customer Care representative for any future reference.  Web based interface You can register the grievance at the website www.cra-nsdl.co.in with the use of the I-pin allotted to you at the time of opening a Permanent Retirement Account. On successful registration, a token number will be displayed on the screen for future reference.  Physical forms You can submit the grievance in a prescribed format to the POP – SP who would forward it to CRA Central Grievance Management System (CGMS). You will have to mention your PRAN as the means of authentication. Upon submission of form with the POP-SP, you will get an acknowledgement receipt. The token number would be emailed to you (if the email id is mentioned), otherwise the same will be emailed to the concerned POP-SP. You can get the token number from the POP-SP upon presentation of the acknowledgement receipt. How to check the status of the Grievance? You can check the status of the grievance at the CRA website www.cra-nsdl.co.in or through the Call Centre by mentioning the token number. You can also raise a reminder through any one of the modes mentioned above by specifying the original token number issued. If you do not receive any response within 30 days or are not satisfied with the resolution by CRA, you can apply to the Grievance Redressal Cell (GRC) of PFRDA. Grievances received by the GRC directly from the subscribers only shall be entertained. GRC shall not entertain any complaints written on behalf of the subscribers by advocates, agents or third parties unless formally authorized by the subscriber. Complete address of the GRC of PFRDA is as under: Grievance Redressal Cell Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority 1st Floor, ICADR Building, Plot No 6, Vasant Kunj, Institutional Area, Phase – II, New Delhi – 110070, Tel no – 011 26897948-49, Fax: 011-26892417, Email: [email protected]

Terms & Conditions Confidentiality The subscriber’s personal information shall not be disclosed to a third party (outside NPS) without the express or implied consent of the subscriber. The information may be used internally or for creating awareness (telephonic/written) of new services of NPS. However, there are some exceptions, viz. disclosure of information under compulsion of law, where there is a duty to the public to disclose and where interest of the NPS requires disclosure. Subscriber’s Duty Citizenship status NPS is only for the citizens of India. If the subsciber’s citizenship status changes, his/her account under NPS would be closed. Charges and Penalty 1. If the subscriber contributes less than Rs. 6,000 in a year, then

yy He would have to bear a default penalty of Rs 100 per year of default and the account would become dormant. yy In order to reactivate the account, the subscriber would have to pay the minimum contributions, along with penalty, due for the period of dormancy. yy A dormant account shall be closed when the account value falls to zero. 2. The fee structure may change as may be decided by PFRDA/NPS Trust from time to time.

Risks Investments 1. There are no guarantees on investment. NPS is a defined contribution plan and the benefits would depend upon the amounts of contributions invested and the investment growth up to point of exit from NPS. 2. You may seek professional advice to assist you in planning your finances. However, this would be your own decision and PFRDA would not be responsible for any consequences 3. Past performance of the Fund Manager does not guarantee future performance of the investment.

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4. The name of the Fund does not in any manner indicate either the quality of the investment scheme or its future prospects and returns. 5. All investments are subject to market risks and there is no assurance or guarantee that the investment objectives shall be achieved. 6. Investment involves investment risks such as trading volumes, settlement risk, liquidity risk, default risk including the possible loss of principal. 7. Value of your investment in the NPS may go up or down depending upon the forces and factors affecting financial markets in general. 8. Tax laws may change, affecting the Return On Investment (ROI). EXPLANATORY NOTE ON SPECIFIC RISKS IN DEBT MARKETS AND CAPITAL MARKETS The following is an illustrative list of risks which may be faced by investing in financial markets:

Risks associated with Debt / Money Markets (i.e. Markets in which Interest bearing Securities or Discounted Instruments are traded) yy Credit Risk: Securities carry a Credit risk of repayment of principal or interest by the borrower. This risk depends on micro-economic factors such as financial soundness and ability of the borrower as also macroeconomic factors such as Industry performance, Competition from Imports, Competitiveness of Exports, Input costs, Trade barriers, Favorability of Foreign Currency conversion rates, etc.

Credit risks of most issuers of Debt securities are rated by Independent and professionally run rating agencies. Ratings of Credit issued by these agencies typically range from “AAA” (read as “Triple A” denoting “Highest Safety”) to “D” (denoting “Default”), with about 6 distinct ratings between the two extremes.



The highest credit rating (i.e. lowest credit risk) commands a low yield for the borrower. Conversely, the lowest credit rated borrower can raise funds at a relatively higher cost.

yy Sovereign risk: The Government raises money to meet its Capital and Revenue expenditure by issuing Debt or Discounted Securities. Since payment of interest and principal amount has a sovereign status implying no default, such securities are known as securities with sovereign credit. For domestic borrowers and lenders, the credit risk on such Sovereign credit is near zero and is popularly known as “risk free security” or “ZeroRisk security”. Thus Zero-Risk is the lowest risk, even lower than a security with “AAA” rating and hence commands a yield, which is lower than a yield on “AAA” security. yy Price-Risk or Interest-Rate Risk: From the perspective of coupon rates, Debt securities can be classified in two categories, i.e., Fixed Income bearing Securities and Floating Rate Securities. In Fixed Income Bearing Securities, the Coupon rate is determined at the time of investment and paid/received at the predetermined frequency. In the Floating Rate Securities, on the other hand, the coupon rate changes - ‘floats’ - with the underlying benchmark rate, e.g., MIBOR, 1 yr. Treasury Bill.

Fixed Income Securities (such as Government Securities, bonds, debentures and money market instruments) where a fixed return is offered, run price-risk. Generally, when interest rates rise, prices of fixed income securities fall and when interest rates drop, the prices increase. The extent of fall or rise in the prices is a function of the existing coupon, the payment frequency of such coupon, days to maturity and the increase or decrease in the level of interest rates. The prices of Government Securities (existing and new) shall be influenced only by movement in interest rates in the financial system. Whereas, in the case of corporate or institutional fixed income securities, such as bonds or debentures, prices are influenced not only by the change in interest rates but also by credit rating of the security and liquidity thereof.

yy Reinvestment Risk: Investments in fixed income securities may carry reinvestment risk as interest rates prevailing on the interest or maturity due dates may differ from the original coupon of the bond. Consequently the proceeds may get invested at a lower rate. yy Liquidity Risk: The corporate debt market is relatively illiquid vis-a-vis the Government securities market. There could therefore be difficulties in exiting from corporate bonds in times of uncertainties. Liquidity in an option therefore may suffer. Even though the Government Securities market is more liquid compared to that of other debt instruments, on occasions, there could be difficulties in transacting in the market due to extreme volatility or unusual constriction in market volumes or on occasions when an unusually large transaction has to be put through. yy Prepayment Risk: In the event of prepayments, investors may be exposed to changes in tenor and yield. Also, any Charge off’s would result in the reduction in the tenor of the Pass through Certificates (PTC’s).

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Risks associated with Capital Markets or Equity Markets (i.e. Markets in which Equity Shares or Equity oriented instruments are issued and traded) yy Price fluctuations and Volatility: Investments are subject to market and other risks and there can be neither a guarantee against loss resulting from an investment in the NPS nor any assurance that the objective of the NPS shall be achieved. The NAV of the Units issued under the NPS can go up or down because of various factors that affect the capital market in general, such as, but not limited to, changes in interest rates, Government policy and volatility in the capital markets. Pressure on the exchange rate of the Rupee may also affect security prices. yy Liquidity Risks: Liquidity in Equity investments may be affected by trading volumes, settlement periods and transfer procedures. These factors may also affect the PF’s ability to make intended purchases/sales, cause potential losses to the investments and result in the PFMs missing certain investment opportunities.

NPS - TIER- II account 1. The facility of Tier II account is available from December 1, 2009 to all citizens of India including Government employees mandatorily covered by NPS, who hold a Tier I account. 2. Unlike Tier I which is a non-withdrawable pension account, Tier II is a withdrawable account with an aim to provide a window of liquidity to NPS subscribers. Both Tier I (Pension Account) and Tier II (Savings Account) will be pure retirement savings products, the only distinction being that Tier- I is a non- withdrawable account while Tier-II is a withdrawable account to meet financial contingencies. 3. The Tier-II would enable the existing Permanent Retirement Account (PRA) holders to build savings over and above the investments in the Tier I pension account. An active Tier I account is a pre-requisite for opening a Tier II account.

Key features of Tier-II account i.

No additional CRA charges will be levied for account opening and annual maintenance in respect of Tier II. However, CRA will charge separately for each transaction in Tier II, the charges being identical to the transaction charge structure in Tier I. ii. There will be no limits on the number of withdrawals from Tier II account. iii. There will be facility for separate nomination and scheme preference in Tier II. iv. The subscriber would have the same choice of PFMs and schemes as in the case of Tier I account in the unorganized sector. v. Contributions can be made through any POP/POP-SP. vi. There will be facility of one-way transfer of savings from Tier II to Tier I but funds cannot be transferred from Tier I to Tier II. vii. Bank details will be mandatory for opening a Tier II account. viii. No separate KYC for opening Tier II account will be required; the only requirement is a pre-existing Tier I account.

Minimum contribution requirement: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Minimum contribution at the time of account opening Minimum amount per contribution Minimum Account Balance at the end of FY Minimum number of contributions in a year

- - - -

Rs.1000/Rs.250/Rs.2000/01

Penalty of Rs. 100/- to be levied on the subscriber for not maintaining the minimum account balance and/ or not making the minimum number of contributions.

Charge Structure for PoPs: Category

A/c opening

Contribution processing

Both Tier I& II (at the same time)

Rs.20.00

Rs.40.00*

Tier I only

Rs.20.00

Rs.20.00

Tier II only (for existing Tier II subscribers)

Rs.20.00

Rs.20.00

*(Rs. 20/- for Tier- I contribution and Rs. 20/- for Tier II Contribution)

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The following table summarizes the main features of Tier-II account vis-a-vis Tier-I account of NPS: Sr. No. Functionality

Tier - I

Tier - II

1.

Registration

o Registration through PAOs for o Registration only through POP-SP Government subscribers and for Government as well as all other through POP-SP for all other subscribers. PRAN card to act as subscribers; KYC to be done by KYC, no separate documentation POP-SP. required.

2.

Contribution

Government Subscribers o Mandatory contribution through o Voluntary contribution through PAO/CDDO for Government POP/POP-SP for Government as Subscribers (10% of Basic+DA per well as other Subscribers. month with matching contribution from Government). Other Subscribers (all citizens except those mandatorily covered by NPS) o Minimum one contribution in a o Minimum contribution of Rs.1000/year. at the time of account opening. o Minimum contribution Rs.6000/o Minimum contribution @ Rs.250/p.a. per contribution. o Minimum contribution Rs.500/-per o Minimum balance of Rs.2000/- at contribution. the end of each financial year.

3.

Scheme Preference

Other subscribers o 3 asset classes and 6 PFMs. o Availability of Auto Choice. Government subscribers. o Default scheme under Tier-1. o 3 PFMs.

4.

Bank Account o Non-mandatory

5.

Withdrawals

All subscribers shall have o Choice of Six PFMs and three assets classes (E,C,G). o Availability of Auto Choice.

o Mandatory

o No withdrawals allowed during o No limit on withdrawals vesting period except as per the norms prescribed by PFRDA. o Withdrawal amount received after the execution of the withdrawal request may be different from the requested amount to the extent of difference in NAV of two different days on which request amount is converted into units and redeemed.

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Swavalamban Scheme: Operational Guidelines The Scheme and its applicability 1. The scheme will be called Swavalamban Yojana. It will be applicable to all citizens in the unorganised sector who join the NPS administered by the Interim Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

Benefits under the Scheme 2. Under the scheme, Government will contribute Rs. 1000 per year to each NPS account opened in the year 2010-11 and for the next three years, that is, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. The benefit will be available only to persons who join the NPS with a minimum contribution of Rs. 1,000 and maximum contribution of Rs. 12,000 per annum.

Definitions: 3. Unorganised sector: For the purpose of this scheme, a person will be deemed to belong to the unorganised sector if that person: yy is not in regular employment of the Central or a State Government, or an autonomous body/ public sector undertaking of the Central or state Government having employer assisted retirement benefit scheme, or yy is not covered by a social security scheme under any of the following laws: yy Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act,1952 yy The Coal Mines Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act,1948 yy The Seamen’s Provident Fund Act, 1966 yy The Assam Tea Plantations Provident Fund and Pension Fund Scheme Act, 1955 yy The Jammu and Kashmir Employees’ Provident Fund Act, 1961 4. All other definitions as given in the NPS offer document will apply to the terms used in this scheme.

Eligibility: 5. The scheme will be applicable to all persons in the unorganised sector subject to the condition that the benefit of Central Government contribution will be available only to those persons whose contribution to NPS is minimum Rs.1,000 and maximum Rs. 12,000 per annum, for both Tier I and II taken together, provided that the person makes a minimum contribution of Rs. 1000 per annum to his Tier I NPS account. 6. As a special case and in recognition of their faith in the NPS, all NPS accounts opened in 2009-10 will be entitled to the benefit of Government contribution under this scheme as if they were opened as new accounts in 2010-11 subject to the condition that they fulfill all the eligibility criteria prescribed under these guidelines.

Funding 7. The scheme will be funded by grants from Government of India. The grants would be given such that monthly payment in the subscriber accounts would be possible.

Operation 8. A person will have the option to join the NPS as an individual as per the existing scheme or through the CRA Lite approved by PFRDA. 9. At the time of joining the NPS the subscriber will have to declare whether he/she falls within the definition of unorganised sector as defined in para 3 above and would also declare that his contribution would range between Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 12,000 per annum. If subsequent to opening the NPS account it is found that the subscriber has made a false declaration about his eligibility for the benefits under this scheme or has been wrongly given the benefit of Government contribution under this scheme for whatsoever reason, the entire Government contribution will be deducted along with penal interest as may be specified from time to time. If the status of the subscriber changes to ineligible after joining the NPS, he/she should immediately declare so and the benefit of Government contribution will not accrue to the subscriber’s account after the date on which the subscriber becomes ineligible. 10. At the end of each financial year the CRA will, by 7th April of the following year, send to the PFRDA details of the NPS accounts opened during the year, showing separately the number of eligible NPS accounts in which the subscriber’s contribution has been between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 12,000. CRA will also send these details with individual PRAN to the Trustee Bank.

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Exit from NPS 11. The exit from the Swavalamban Scheme would be on the same terms and conditions on which exit from Tier-I account of NPS is permitted, that is, exit at age 60 with 40% minimum annuitisation of pension wealth and exit before age 60 with 80% minimum annuitisation of pension wealth. However, the exit would be subject to the overriding condition that the amount of pension wealth to be annuitised should be sufficient to yield a minimum amount of Rs. 1,000 per month. If the annuitised pension wealth does not yield an amount of Rs. 1,000 per month, the percentage of pension wealth to be annuitised would be increased so that the pension amount becomes Rs. 1,000 per month, failing which the entire pension wealth would be subject to annuitisation. This minimum pension ceiling may be revised from time to time.

Miscellaneous 12. PFRDA may permit members of an existing pension scheme to migrate to NPS under such terms and conditions as may be approved by the Government.

Removal of Doubts 13. In case of any doubts on the eligibility, operation of the scheme or any other issue, the Central Government will decide the matter in consultation with PFRDA and the decision of the Central Government will be final.

For PFRDA Place : New Delhi Date : January 2011

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